Pepperony Kisses
by donnag76
Summary: A series of Pepperony shorts inspired by a list of prompts I found on Tumblr. Standard disclaimers apply. I don't own them, sadly. Marvel does, otherwise, there would be mandatory Pepperony scenes in every MCU movie. Reviews are awesome! Leave them, please. :D PEPPERONY FOREVER!
1. Introduction

**Author's Note:** Recently, while on Tumblr, I came across a list of writing prompts for your otp. Automatically, the first thing to came to mind was "These would make great Pepperony scenes." So, I thought I would give them a try. This is something completely different for me, but, I thought it might be just the thing to keep my Pepperony juices flowing while between stories or if I get stuck. The prompts are listed below so you will know what to expect. The won't be done in order, either, so be forewarned. :D I am open to suggestions, so you can always send me a PM if you want. Mostly, I just want to keep giving the world Pepperony goodness, because there's no such thing as too much Pepperony. Oh, and in case you were worried, they _**will not**_ be breaking up, no matter what the prompt may suggest on the outside. Looks can be deceiving. ;) Hope you enjoy them. Happy reading and PEPPERONY FOREVER!

Donna 

**Kisses Prompts**

1\. "Good morning" kiss

2\. Kiss on the forehead

3\. Drunk/sloppy kiss

4\. Awkward kiss

5\. Angry kiss

6\. "I'm sorry" kiss

7\. "I've missed you" kiss

8\. Seductive kiss

9\. "War's End" kiss

10\. "Goodbye" kiss

11\. "I almost lost you" kiss

12\. Kiss on the nose

13\. Kiss on the ear

14\. Kiss on the neck

15\. Kiss on the back

16\. French kiss

17\. Shy kiss

18\. Surprised kiss

19\. Sad kiss

20\. Exhausted parents kiss

21\. Jealous kiss

22\. Giggly kiss

23\. Last kiss

24\. Returned from the dead kiss

25\. "We can never be together" kiss


	2. No 18 - Surprised Kiss

Pepperony Kisses

#18 – Surprised Kiss

"I didn't want to have to bother you, but, I didn't know what else to do."

"It's fine. I'm glad you did." Pepper Potts made her way through the maze of hallways in the Tower, Bruce Banner at her heels. She'd been reading in their apartment, waiting for Tony to return from whatever Avengers business he was on when her friend came knocking. She heard him say "We have a problem. It's Tony" and was out the door with him, no questions asked.

They reached the door to the secured infirmary area. Bruce tried to reach past her to scan his palm. "Let me just…" he began when she laid her own hand on the scanner and the door hissed open. Tony was on one of the examination tables, still in his suit minus the helmet. He was shouting slurred curse words and threats at everyone present. Pepper stopped short and Bruce barely avoided colliding with her. "There was an explosion…an IED from one of the terrorists as a last-ditch effort of attack. We, uh, neutralized the guy who set it off, but, Tony caught some shrapnel in one of the weakened places in the armor. From what I can tell by the scans on the flight back, it's not a fatal wound, but, he won't let anyone near him to get it out. He's lost blood, which explains why he sounds like he does, but, he has fought anyone who attempted to get close to him. The only person I _knew_ could get through to him was you."

"Thank you," Pepper said, tears coming to her eyes. She knew this was a risk Tony took every time he put on the Iron Man armor, but it didn't make it any easier to see. However, there was time to be philosophical later.

A punch sent Steve Rogers sprawling to the floor. "You…you're trying to take my suit. You can't _have_ my suit," Tony babbled. "I'm not…not gonna give it up."

Steve rose slowly, wiping his busted lip with the back of his hand. "No one is going to take your suit, Stark."

"No they're not!" he roared.

"He's been like this ever since the ride back," Bruce informed her.

Tony made an attempt to get off the table. Clint Barton tried to restrain him with a hand to his chest, but Tony shoved him out of the way. "He…he thinks he can sneak up on me and take it. He won't. I gotta have my suit to get home."

"Tony!" she called out above the din. "Stop it now!"

Immediately, he froze, staring in her direction with glazed eyes. "Pepper?"

She walked past the rest of the team and medical staff to where he was. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm keeping them from stealing my suit. They want it so they can keep me from going home. They can't have it, 'cause I hafta get home. If they try, I will…"

Whatever he was going to say was cut off when Pepper grabbed him by the front panels and crashed her lips to his. He stopped fighting almost immediately. By the time the kiss was over, he looked at her with a dazed expression. "Tony," she said gently, "listen to me. You have to stop this. You said that home was wherever I was, right?" He blinked hard a few times and nodded mutely. "Okay. I'm here, so you _are_ home. You're hurt and they need to get the suit off so they can fix it."

"Okay," he agreed weakly. "But…they can't have my suit."

"They won't. Bruce will take it directly to your workshop and lock it up." Pepper looked around the room, "Where's the helmet?" Clint retrieved it from the counter and brought it to her. "You're going to lie down and I'm going to open the suit so Dr. Cho can get to the shrapnel that's stuck there."

"My side hurts," he confessed.

"I know it does."

"I promised I would come home."

"And you did. Now, let the doctor do her job so you can come back to our room with me."

"Okay."

He lay back on the examination table, careful not to hurt his injured side. Pepper ran her hands through his hair and patted his dirty cheek before she slid on the helmet. The retinal scan confirmed her identity and the information popped up on the HUD. "Open suit," she commanded. There was the huff of hydraulics and the whir of robotic parts as the metal armor came to life.

A flurry of activity followed. Medical staff moving around and barking orders. Machines beeping. People scurrying to either help or get out of the way. Bruce Banner watched it all from his spot near the door. In this room were the Avengers…Earth's mightiest heroes…decked out in state-of-the-art outfits and bearing the best in weaponry modern technology could offer. Yet, the battle of the day had been won by a lady standing barefoot, dressed in a t-shirt and yoga pants. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and smiled. The _real_ hero wasn't Tony Stark, but the woman holding his hand.

 **Author's note: So, the first one is out of the way and you can see what these will be like. I loved the idea of Pepper being the only one who can handle Tony and getting Pepper seemed like something Bruce would do. How was it? Is this new experiment going to work? Let me know what you think. I wrote this in about 2 hours, so I managed to surprise even the BFF and nancyozz with it. :D I'm looking forward to hear from you. I love my readers and thank you so much for your continued support. Happy reading and PEPPERONY FOREVER!**


	3. No 22 - Giggly Kiss

#22 – Giggly Kiss

"Tony?" Pepper called as she walked into the house.

"In the den," he answered.

Pepper stepped out of her shoes and headed to change. "What are you doing?" she asked from the bedroom.

"Talking to Rhodey," he said.

"I didn't hear you when I came in."

"I'm not on the phone. I'm talking to him online."

She froze halfway through pulling her blouse over her head. "Please tell me you didn't get a Facebook page." For a minute, Pepper had horrible images of all that could go wrong if Tony Stark delved into the world of social media.

"Nope."

She was glad he couldn't hear her sigh of relief. "How are you talking to him then? Yahoo? Google Hangouts?"

"Nope," he repeated. "It's an instant messaging program I created. It runs through the Stark secure server. Only me, you, and him have it."

She didn't even bother to ask when he installed it on her computers. Pepper was accustomed to him leaving her these little electronic surprises and forgetting to tell her about them. When she got to the den, Tony was sitting on the couch with his back to her. "How's Rhodey?" she said, slipping her arms around his neck and kissing his cheek.

"Fine. Got a date tonight with that woman, Linda, we went to dinner with the other night."

"Oh my god, Tony," Pepper said after Tony typed his latest message. "You _did not_ just send that."

"What?" he replied defensively. "And since when did privacy disappear in this household?"

"Since you are using _my_ laptop. 'Gonna give her the ol' Jericho missile, War Machine?' Seriously?"

"We're guys. That's how guys talk to each other." Pepper swatted him on the chest before walking around to sit on the couch. "Ow! What was that for?"

"Figure it out."

"Just because you're girls, don't pretend you and your friends don't talk about your 'significant others,'" he said, using his index fingers for air quotes.

"How would you like it if I talked about _you_ like _that_ to my girlfriends?"

"Sweet! What would you say?" He heard her derisive snort. "So, you're saying I _never_ come up?"

"Well...occasionally."

"I _knew_ it! Do you tell them how lucky you are? About how you get the Jericho every day, sometimes twice?" Again, she snorted, but that didn't stop him. "What do they say? Do they say 'Oh, Pepper!'" he said, switching to a falsetto voice for her friends. "We are _so_ jealous. Our boyfriends aren't anywhere _near_ as good-looking or smart or have his unimaginable sexual prowess?' Is that what they say?"

"Believe it or not, we find all sorts of things to talk about."

Tony looked her directly in the eye. "C'mon, Pep. This is me. You want me to believe that you have never _once_ bragged about us to your friends? Not even about that time in Venice?"

Pepper blushed. "I _may_ have mentioned it...casually."

"Uh huh." Tony was practically glowing. "Did you care to tell them _I_ wasn't the reason we had to pay the hotel for a broken headboard?"

"I am not taking responsibility for _anything_ that happened after you starting talking dirty in Italian."

"I will gladly take full responsibility. That was one of my best performances." Pepper let out a girlish giggle. Tony took the opportunity to steal a kiss. When he was done, she got a kiss of her own. Tony turned to the screen. "Got to go," he talked as he typed. "Something just came up." He hit ENTER, closed the laptop, and sat it on the table in front of him. Propelling himself from the couch, he grabbed Pepper's hand. "Let's go."

"Go where?"

Not wanting to wait for her to follow, Tony scooped Pepper from her seat and into his arms. "Our room," he explained as he walked. "We need to give you something else to talk about."

 **Author's note: This was inspired by a picture I saw on Facebook, which, in turn, spawned a Pepperony conversation with my BFF. A series of really great text messages and an hour later, this was born. So far, this experiment has been fun. I like taking an idea and running with it, not worrying about having to make it tie into something else. I hope you like them as much as I have liked writing them. Since this was banged out rather quickly, it may stink. What do you think? I would love to hear! Thanks to my awesome BFF for helping me with a couple of places where I got stuck. Happy reading and PEPPERONY FOREVER!**


	4. No 20 - Exhausted Parents Kiss

**Author's note:** SelenitaLunar, this one is for you, per your request. Hope you enjoy it.

#20 – Exhausted Parents Kiss

"Please stop crying, buddy," Tony said as he bounced his son in his arms. "It's gonna be okay. I promise." A.J. quieted for a minute, his crying going from a red-faced squall to a pitiful snubbing. "I know," he said, holding the baby close. "It's been a hard evening for me, too. If I knew it would do any good, I would cry, too." Tony paced the floor, gently rocking A.J. back and forth. "I'm pretty much flying blind," he admitted. "I have _zero_ experience in the dad department and your Grandpa didn't exactly leave me a sterling example to follow. I know you're hungry, but, that's one area where I can offer no assistance. All we have to do is hang on until Mommy gets home. She's been taking care of me for years, so, we will both be in good hands then." At the mention of his mother's name, A.J. screwed up his face and went off on another crying jag. Tony wrestled his phone out of his pocket and managed to use it to turn on some music...instrumental lullabies meant to soothe babies. He'd laughed when Pepper first mentioned it, but right now, he would hire the London Philharmonic if it would get his son to calm down. "Shh shh shh," he cooed. "C'mon now, A.J. Be a sport and help Daddy." He laid the screaming child on his shoulder and looked at his watch. It had been three hours since Pepper called saying the negotiations weren't over and they intended to stay until they were done. She told him he needed to get his own dinner and she would see him and as A.J. as soon as possible. It was shortly after the call ended that everything fell apart. While getting to the leftover take-out from the refrigerator, Tony accidentally dropped the last container of milk Pepper left for A.J. before leaving for work that morning. By the time he finished cleaning it up, A.J. was ready to eat. When Tony had nothing to give him, he wailed like a siren. That was what he'd been doing for the better part of two hours. The music was Tony's last resort.

He continued walking, covering every square inch of the main floor of the mansion while patting the child's diaper. Either the music was working or A.J. had cried himself into exhaustion because he was getting quieter. "I'm sorry, Champ. It's my fault you're hungry, but, I'm over a barrel here," Tony whispered, hoping his voice would help. "If you don't stop crying, you will make yourself sick and we _don't_ want that." Mopping up breast milk was one thing. Cleaning up baby vomit was something else completely. He shuddered at the thought. Halfway through the third trip around, Tony heard the sound of a car engine. "I think the cavalry has arrived." Tony met Pepper at the door. "Thank God you're home." He took her purse and handed her the baby.

"What's going on?" she said, looking from her husband to her crying son. She moved A.J. into the crook of her arm. "Is he sick?"

"No. He's hungry. He's been crying for two hours."

"I left him..."

"Yes, and I spilled it. Well, the last of it about three hours ago," Tony said in exasperation. He told her the complete story.

"You poor thing," Pepper said, cuddling her little boy close and walking to the sofa.

"I tried everything I could think of," Tony confessed. "I gave him a pacifier and he saw through that particular deception after about three sucks."

"Most new dads wouldn't have thought of doing that. Plus, you didn't panic. That's what helped keep him calm."

"If this is calm..."

"Trust me. It can be _much_ worse."

"I hope I never see worse."

"But, we are okay now, aren't we, A.J.?" She wiped the last remaining tear from his cheek. "Can you get me a pillow?" she asked, unbuttoning her blouse.

"Sure." Tony grabbed one of the overstuffed pillows from the love seat across the room. By now, A.J. had stopped crying. Pepper got him settled in and he was nursing greedily. Tony collapsed on the couch beside them.

"You look tired."

"I'm exhausted." He looked over at the pair. "Whose idea was it to have kids anyway?"

"It was a mutual decision."

"What were we thinking?"

"At that particular moment, I'm pretty sure you were thinking, 'How fast can I get Pepper naked?'"

"Why didn't you try and stop me?"

"Because I _liked_ the idea."

"Of a baby or me getting you naked?" he asked with a sly grin.

"Both," she smiled back.

Tony touched the back of A.J.'s hand. "Looks like we have our happy boy back."

"Yep. I don't think he's slowed down yet." Pepper brushed the little cheek. "I haven't said it enough, but, you've been great about everything."

"You do realize that I starved our child for the majority of the evening, right?"

"You didn't starve him," she said with a chuckle. "Accidents happen, even to the great Tony Stark. But, your support in me going back to work, pitching in to help take care of A.J...in everything you've been wonderful."

"Look at you, though. Running a company and a household _and_ being a mom. You're amazing."

They sat in silence for a while. "You know," Pepper began, "after he eats, he will be ready for bed."

Tony caught her tone. "I'm listening..."

"And it _is_ Friday after all."

"True."

"I think we deserve a reward for being amazing people and good parents."

"Totally."

"What do you say we unplug the phones, hide the alarm clocks, and sleep as long as we possibly can?"

"I do believe you read my mind."

"You go take a shower and..."

"Shower?"

"Yes. I love you, but you smell like spit-up."

"Oh, yeah. We had an, uh, incident at lunch. He's had his bath, by the way. He screamed like a banshee the entire time, but he's had his bath."

"Good to know. So, you take a shower. I will finish feeding A.J. and put him to bed. By then, we should be ready to enjoy that custom-made mattress you simply _had_ to have."

"Deal." He kissed his first two fingers and placed them on the top of A.J.'s head. "I love you, little wild man. You don't have to answer. It's rude to talk with your mouth full."

Pepper laughed. "I will bring him to say goodnight is you want."

"Nah. Just let him sleep." Tony got up as easily as possible. "I will see _you_ in a few, all squeaky clean and not smelling like baby spit."

A little while later, Pepper made her way to the master bedroom. His appetite satisfied, A.J. was changed and sleeping peacefully in his crib. "He's out like a light," she said, walking in. "He fell asleep while..." She stopped when she saw her husband. Tony made it out of the shower and into his pajamas. He sat with his back against the headboard and was sound asleep. Pepper changed clothes and finished the rest of her nighttime routine before returning to the bed. She couldn't help but notice how much the sleeping infant she just left in the nursery looked like her sleeping husband. Despite the events of the day, she had no reservations about leaving their son in Tony's care. He was absolutely crazy about A.J. and the feeling was mutual. "Tony," she said gently shaking his shoulder. He opened his eyes slowly.

"I...I was waiting on you," he said sleepily.

"Uh huh," Pepper answered with a smile. "I can tell." She ran her hand through his hair. "Let's go to bed."

"Okay," he mumbled. "I call big spoon." He grabbed her around the waist before she could stop him and rolled them both toward the middle of the bed. With Pepper partially pinned under him, Tony took advantage of their position and kissed her. "Ready for bed, Mrs. Stark?"

"Absolutely, Mr. Stark." Tony moved so she could settle comfortably in his arms. In short order, they were fast asleep...a well-deserved rest for them both.

 **Author's note: Special thanks to SelenitaLunar for requesting this prompt. In my mind, there was something both hilarious and endearing about Tony Stark and his crying child. Pepperony will be great parents, I believe. This "project" is becoming great fun. Again, feel free to request a prompt. They all have to get done eventually. :-D Thanks to my BFF for help with the ending. You rock! As always, reviews are great! Let me know how you like this little experiment. Happy reading and PEPPERONY FOREVER!**


	5. No 17 - Shy Kiss

**Author's note:** HambyRepo requested this prompt. Here ya, go. :-)

#17 – Shy Kiss

The business day was over at Stark Industries, but the building still teemed with people. The annual employee Christmas Party was in full swing. With everyone around, it would seem hard to believe that Pepper Potts could miss one person out of the crowd, but, when your responsibility is that one person, it pays to know their whereabouts at all times. Somehow, after the toast, she'd lost track of Tony. Never one to be given to panic, she was beginning to worry. She saw his bodyguard and driver leaned against the wall talking to a woman from the secretarial pool. "I'm sorry to interrupt," she said as she approached them. "Happy, have you seen Tony?"

"Have you looked in his office?"

"No, but I will. Thank you." She left the pair and walked in the direction of the office. Pepper slowed as she neared the door. If she learned nothing else in the time she'd been employed by Tony Stark, it was that you always proceed with caution. Barreling in uninvited could cause you to encounter scenes which could scar your psyche for life. She stopped and knocked loudly on the oak door. "Mr. Stark?" she said, using her professional Personal Assistant voice. "Mr. Stark, are you in there?" She listened for tell-tale signs he may be entertaining female company, but, she heard none. She turned the knob. "Tony?" she said, her voice showing more concern than she realized.

"Come in, Pepper." The room was dimly lit, the only light coming from an old banker's lamp. Tony was leaned against the giant desk with a drink in his hand. He saw her peek cautiously around the door frame. "It's okay. I'm alone."

She eased into the room, closing the door behind her. "What are you doing in here alone?"

"Thinking," he said. "Why? Where did you _think_ I would be?"

"I don't know. It's Christmas. It's a party. There's alcohol. I thought you might be…"

"Dancing on a table wearing nothing but a Santa hat?" he supplied with a twinkle in his eye.

"Something like that." Pepper smiled and walked across the room. She leaned beside him on the desk. "Are you okay?"

"Honestly? No. Then again, December isn't my favorite month."

Pepper understood completely. His parents died roughly a week before Christmas and the holidays could be hard on someone without any other family. She should know. However, he didn't need to hear her sad, sympathetic story. Before she could say anything, he spoke again.

Tony patted the top of the desk. "This was his. I had it brought in from New York when I took over. When I was a kid, Mom would bring me by so Dad could show off his genius son. It seemed _huge_ then. There isn't any particular sentiment attached to it. I just wanted to finally show the old man that I was worthy to take the position. He wasn't the only Stark capable of running this company. He may not be proud of me, but, he would have to respect me." He swirled the scotch in his glass, staring at it before speaking again. "He was far from the world's best father, but I loved him."

"I'm sure he loved you, too," Pepper said, trying to be comforting.

"I'm not even sure he _liked_ me."

"Well...I do."

Tony's head shot up. "What?"

" _I_ like you. And...I respect you. So do a lot of other people. Pretty soon, people will be referring to Howard Stark as 'Tony Stark's father' if they don't already." She took a chance and laid her hand atop his. "You're taking this company in directions _no one_ thought possible and succeeding. I'm glad that I'm here to see it."

"How do you always seem to know the right thing to say?"

"It's a gift."

Tony sat his glass on the desk. "I am going to kiss you now, Miss Potts," he announced.

Pepper stood in stunned silence. She had made it very plain to Tony that she refused to be another one of his conquests, despite the fact they would be spending a tremendous amount of time together in close proximity. Still, she wasn't going to deny that there was a flutter of anticipation in her stomach. "Okay," she said, hoping she didn't sound as shaky as she felt. Pepper saw him lick his lips. He seemed…nervous. It struck her that she found this endearing. Slowly, Tony leaned in and placed a sweet, chaste kiss on her cheek. For a fleeting moment, she could have sworn she saw him blush. Her mind raced for something to say to seem the right amount of unoffended yet not unaffected. She opted for humor. "So that's what it's like to be kissed by the great Tony Stark. No wonder the women swoon."

"I don't go around giving _those_ out to just anyone, you know."

"I know." She squeezed his hand.

Tony looked around the room and sighed. "I think I've had about as much Christmas cheer as I can stand. Where's Happy?"

"Trying to put the moves on Lana, the newest secretary. I can tell him we're ready to go and save him the embarrassment of being shot down…again." They shared a laugh. She noticed the near-empty glass. "Need me to take that for you?"

Tony picked it up and drained the last few swallows. He took her hand and placed the glass in it, but, he lingered with his fingers around hers. "Thank you, Miss Potts." The look in his chocolate brown eyes showed he didn't just mean for returning the glass tumbler.

"You're welcome," she replied sincerely. She cleared her throat. "Will that be all, Mr. Stark?"

"That will be all, Miss Potts."

 **Author's note: This is my first attempt at "serious" pre-IM Pepperony. When I got the request, it immediately piqued my interest and a comment from nancyozz in an entirely different conversation gave me the idea. It just started rolling after that. My BFF (who always seems to be able to help me when I'm stuck) gave me the idea that tied everything together. I've said it before, but, I am really enjoying this "Pepperony Experiment", as I've come to call it. You guys have been great and very supportive. I am blessed with great followers. EVERY review is appreciated more than you will ever know. Please let me know what you think. (I haven't forgotten you, AthenaMay. Yours is also going to be something I haven't tried.) I hope you like it. Keep the reviews and suggestions coming. As always, happy reading and PEPPERONY FOREVER!**


	6. No 11 - I Almost Lost You Kiss

# 11 - "I almost lost you" Kiss

"J.A.R.V.I.S., what time is it?"

"It is 7:15 pm., sir."

"Pepper didn't come in while I was in the shower, did she?"

"No, sir," the A.I. replied.

Tony dialed her number. He waited impatiently while it rang. He heard a click. "Hey, Pep. It's..."

"You have reached the voice-mailbox of..." It was the voice he wanted to hear. However, he wanted to speak to the real thing, not a recording.

Tony waited until the beep and left his message. "Pepper, where are you?!" he began. "You're late and you're _never_ late. _Call me_!" He doubled-checked for a message saying she would be delayed. There hadn't been a call or text to let him know she was working over. Frustrated, he tossed his phone on the bed. Tony searched the bedroom for a note she might have left him that morning. Again, he came up empty. "Can you put a trace on Pepper's phone, J?"

"It appears to be off, sir," J.A.R.V.I.S. replied. "Shall I call her?"

"I just tried." Tony picked his phone off the bed and went down to the workshop. He needed to find _something_ to do or he would go crazy. He turned on the television and grabbed one of the new gauntlets off the workbench. He wasn't particularly interested in watching anything. He just needed background noise.

"We're going live to the scene of a multi-car pile-up on the freeway," the male news anchor said. "What can you tell us, Julie?"

"It's a mess, Bob," the on-scene reporter said. "Traffic is backed up for at least two miles. Police, fire, and rescue personnel are on site. Sadly, there has been one confirmed fatality...the driver of _this_ car."

Tony looked up from his work to see the car the reporter mentioned. He froze as he watched the mangled remains being loaded onto a rollback truck...a white Audi. His blood ran cold and he couldn't breathe.

"The identity of the victim is being withheld at this time until the next-of-kin can be identified."

"J.A.R.V.I.S.!" he yelled. "Find out where..."

"The rest of the accident victims are being taken to Memorial Hospital for medical care," the reporter informed.

Tony tossed the gauntlet on the workbench. "Shut off everything," he called to J.A.R.V.I.S as he ran to the garage. He jumped into the first car he came to and grabbed the keys from under the visor. Within the seconds, he was roaring down the driveway toward the hospital.

"They didn't _say_ it was Pepper," he said to himself. "It's...it's _not_ Pepper. It _can't_ be Pepper." His mind raced as fast as his car. The reporter said they would notify the next-of-kin. That would be him...right? Being who she was, Pepper would have all the necessary paperwork in order somewhere. He hoped he wouldn't need that. "Be positive, Stark. You won't need it," he tried to convince himself. There was not question she was his better half. She was the love of his life. It wasn't just that she made him a better person. She made him want to _be_ a better person. "Girlfriend" was far too inadequate for all she was. Pepper was his...everything. He was her... He was Tony freaking Stark. That's who he was. _Iron Man_! That's all they need to know. The whole world knew he and Pepper were together. They _had_ to tell him."It's not Pepper," he repeated. "It _can't_ be Pepper. She can't leave me."

The hospital was a picture of chaos. People in uniform milled about the lobby and entry ways. Worried friends and family filled the waiting room, most of them looking for answers like he was. Medical staff hurried around like someone kicked over an ant hill. Near the registration desk, Tony saw a young man in a white coat carrying a clipboard. He seemed as good a place to start as any. "Excuse me. I'm looking for..."

"Name," the man said curtly.

"Tony Stark. I'm looking for information on..."

He flipped up a few pages on his clipboard. "There's no one named 'Stark' on my list."

"I know that Dr...Mitchell," Tony said, reading the name on the coat. He was beginning to get irritated.

"Then, why are you here?"

The flippant comment and smug look were more than he could bear. Tony snatched up the man by the lapels. He shoved him against the desk and lifted him off the ground. "I _know_ there isn't anyone on there named Stark. The _only_ name I want to find out about is Potts. Virginia Potts."

"O-okay." Mitchell struggled to get the clipboard between them. "Wh-what was the name again?"

"Potts," Tony repeated. "P-O-T-T-S. Virginia."

"Tony?!" Tony's head snapped around in the direction of the voice part of him thought he would never hear again. "Tony, put him down."

He released the man's coat and turned to face the voice. Tony made a beeline for where Pepper stood. Without a word, he kissed her until they were both breathless. "You're not dead," he said, holding her close.

"No, but for a reception like that, maybe I could play dead more often," she joked. When she realized he wasn't laughing, Pepper pulled back enough to look in his face. She saw what others wouldn't be able to see. Tony Stark would rather die himself than let anyone else know how frightened he'd been. Then again, Pepper Potts wasn't just anyone else. "Why did you think I was dead?"

"The news. They showed this white Audi that was demolished and said the driver died."

"It wasn't me. The car is pretty banged up, but, thankfully, we both survived."

Tony reached and touched the bandages on her face. "You're hurt."

"Just some scratches from broken glass and a couple bruises from the air bag," she assured him. "I've been checked out and I'm fine."

"I tried to call. I left a voice-mail. J.A.R.V.I.S. tried, but he couldn't track your phone."

"It's broken. I had it laying on the seat and it was tossed around in the accident. I have what's left of it in my purse."

"I'll make you a new one. I'll get you _two_. All I want to know is that you're okay."

His concern made her smile. "I'm fine."

Tony touched the bruises on her cheek and kissed her again. "When can I take you home?"

"They gave me discharge papers," Pepper explained. "The nurse said I needed to see someone at the registration desk. You remember where that is don't you? Where you roughed up that poor intern?"

"Oh, c'mon. I didn't rough him up. I just..." He heard Pepper laugh. "I was just anxious to find you."

"I know and it's sweet." Pepper held up the papers in her hand. "If you will let me go, I will take these to be processed and you can take me home."

"I will take you to get your paperwork done, but I _am not_ letting you go." Tony released her from his embrace and took her hand. They walked to where she could be discharged. When he had to let go of her hand for her to sign her name, Tony stood behind Pepper with his hands on her hips. The woman at the desk gave Pepper copies of everything she signed. "Are we done here?" Tony asked.

"Yes," the woman answered. "Feel better soon, Miss Potts."

"Thank you," Pepper said.

"Let's get you home," Tony said, again taking her hand. True to his word, he did not release her until they reached the car. He opened the door and deposited her safely inside, not allowing her to fasten her seat belt or close her door.

"You _do_ realize," Pepper began once he was inside the car with her, "that 'taking care of me' and 'playing doctor' aren't the same thing, don't you?"

"That's what you think," Tony replied with a saucy wink. He kissed her hand, then cranked the engine and pointed the car in the direction of home.

 **Author's note: Okay. I admit it. This may not have been the best prompt choice for this scene. However, I saw the idea on Tumblr, loved it, and wanted to use it. If it's a flop, nancyozz holds full right to say "I told you so" as much as she wants. There may be another, darker #11 to come along later. Anyway...I liked it and thought it turned out well. That's all that matters, right? Now...to hear what you think. Reviews would be AWESOME! This is fun! I promise I'm working on the requests (really, AthenaMay, I am). As always, thanks for your support. You guys are great. PEPPERONY FOREVER!**


	7. No 23 - Last Kiss

#23 – Last Kiss 

"Pepper, don't go."

"I have to." Pepper sat her bag by the door.

"No. No you don't." Tony took the bag and moved it. "What will I do without you?"

"You have Rhodey," she informed him. "You will be fine."

"I won't," Tony replied stubbornly.

"Yes, you will. Give me my bag."

"No."

"Tony…" He did nothing, just looked at her defiantly. Pepper decided she could be just as obstinate as he could. "Fine then. I have more clothes _and_ more suitcases," she said. "I will just pack another one because I am leaving." With a lift of her chin, she made her way past him.

"Alright," he relented when he saw she was serious. "Take it." He held the handle loosely in his hand.

"Thank you," Pepper said, taking it from him.

"I don't like this. I don't like it one bit."

"No one said you had to like it."

"It's….unnecessary," he countered.

"Unnecessary?" Pepper repeated. "Do you remember what tomorrow is?"

"Saturday?" His attempt at humor completely failed and an agitated Pepper turned to leave. "Wait…I was joking," Tony said, putting his hands on her shoulders. "Yes. I remember what tomorrow is. It is the day you will make an honest man out of me. I _couldn't_ forget that." He gave her his most sincere puppy-dog eyes. "I've been trying to do my part to make sure this wedding comes off as smoothly as possible."

"I know you have and I appreciate it _very_ much. You also know what comes _after_ the wedding tomorrow, right?"

"The honeymoon." Tony didn't try to stop the huge smile or the glimmer in his eye at the mere mention of this topic. "The work-free two weeks in Venice…just you and me."

"Yep. To get those 'work-free' weeks, I have about 3 dozen things that I have to do before then."

"But, tonight?"

"Tony, I _will not_ be working up to the last minute on my wedding day."

He placed his hands on her hips. "I don't see why you can't work here."

"Too many…distractions."

"I promise I will be good."

"I'm sure you would."

"Our luggage is packed and loaded on the jet. My tux is already here. Rhodey has the rings. _My_ stuff is all taken care of. I could help you get finished." He pulled her closer and began rubbing small circles on her hips with his thumbs.

"Thanks, but, no thanks." She gently removed his hands and kissed them before letting go. "I _need_ to get this done and I need to be somewhere I can work without interruptions...however pleasant they may be. Besides, it's tradition."

"Abandoning the man you love?"

"Being separate the night before the wedding."

"It's a stupid tradition," Tony pouted. "Who started it?"

"I don't know."

"Obviously, whoever it was didn't have a virile, sexy fiancé like you."

"Uh-huh. Don't you know it's bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding?"

"Oh, I know. Something _horrible_ could happen like I get kidnapped and held in a foreign country or there's an alien invasion or our home gets destroyed by a madman who wants to experiment with biological weapons," was his sarcastic reply. "C'mon, Pepper. We've made it through _all_ of that. What else…"

She quieted him with a finger on his lips. " _Don't_ say it. Let's not tempt fate." Pepper moved the strap of her overnight bag to her shoulder. "I promise to call you when I get to the hotel. Don't stay up too late. You will need your energy for tomorrow, especially tomorrow night," she reminded him with a wicked grin. She kissed him, long and soundly.

"Hard to believe that was our last kiss."

"You don't have to be so dramatic."

"I'm not," he assured her. "It _is_. That was the last time I will _ever_ kiss Pepper Potts. Tomorrow, after the ceremony and for the rest of our lives, I will be kissing Mrs. Anthony Stark."

"I like the sound of that."

Tony picked up her purse from the hall table and gave it to her. "So, I guess you could ask me so I can say it one last time."

Pepper knew exactly what he meant. She put on as serious of a face as she could muster to go with her smile. "Will there be anything else, Mr. Stark?"

"That will be all, Miss Potts."

 **Author's notes: Sorry it's been so long since the last update. Real life and a nasty cold has kinda bogged me down. That being said...I got this idea yesterday driving home from work, started it last night, and finished it this morning. I knew I *was not* doing a break-up and I thought this was a creative way around that for the "last kiss." I'm still having fun with this because I'm not stressing over the detail. I'm just writing as it comes. I would LOVE to hear what you think. The response so far has been great and really encouraging. You guys are amazing. Let me know how you like it. Happy reading and PEPPERONY FOREVER!**


	8. No 4 - Awkward Kiss

**Author's note: Thank you to AthenaMay24 for the request. I hope it was worth the wait. You, too, Aprilgen.**

#4 - Awkward Kiss

Pepper made her way down the steps to Tony's workshop. She had a handful of papers that needed to be signed before the end of the business day. She hoped he was still there and not taking the suit out for a test run. The suit. She _still_ had a hard time believing that her boss climbed inside metal body armor and flew around. She had known about it for a while, ever since she walked into the shop a few months ago and saw him in a struggle with the bots to get out of the contraption. What _really_ bothered her were the bullet holes. Tony Stark had done a lot of foolish sometimes even life-threatening things since she'd known him, but this wasn't like that. He purposefully put himself in harm's way, not to impress a girl or win a bar bet, but to _help_ people. With this would come people trying to stop him by any means necessary. She worried enough when it was their own little secret, but, in true Tony fashion, he hadn't let it remain that way. Now, since he had announced the identity of Iron Man to the world, he would be carrying a target on his back. Since he returned from Afghanistan and especially since the confrontation with Stane, Tony was different. There were no more parties or drunken binges. She hadn't been called upon to "take out the trash" since the Everhart woman months ago. He had changed and Pepper liked this new Tony. She wasn't ready to lose him just as she was getting to know him. Still, there was something else. Tony was as cocky and brash as ever, a walking sound-bite that never disappointed the media constantly looking for one. When they were alone, though, he was...different. That was the only way she could think to describe it. Her mind went back to the day of the infamous press conference. When he told Phil Coulson he preferred saying it was he and Pepper alone on his yacht, there was something in the way he looked at her that let her know he was at least partly serious. Then, there was the speech about if he _were_ a superhero and the girlfriend he would have. He wasn't talking about some random bimbo like the hordes that had hung all over him for years. Something deep down told Pepper he meant her. There were worse things in life than being Tony Stark's girlfriend, but however much he'd changed, it wasn't enough...yet.

Pepper shook her head and chided herself. This wasn't the time to be thinking about such things. She keyed in her security code and waited for the door to open. Luckily, Tony _was_ there, soldering a boot at his workbench. "Tony, I need you to..." She stopped mid-sentence when she saw the box on a nearby table. "What is that?"

"Off-hand, I'd say it was a present," he replied, not looking up from his work.

"A present? Who's it for?"

"Read the card."

Walking the short distance to the table, Pepper laid aside her papers so she could examine the tag. "Me?"

"Yep." Tony placed the iron on its holder. "Are you going to stand there looking or are you going to open it?" He moved to where he could see over her shoulder.

Pepper untied the large bow and lifted the lid. Resting inside the box was the most beautiful pair of Prada shoes she'd ever seen. She was speechless. Pepper gingerly lifted the right shoe to examine it. "How did you..."

"Know you wanted them? Easy. I saw you lusting after them every time we passed the store window," Tony professed. "Plus, they showed up 12 times in your Internet search history in the past month alone."

"You looked at my search history?"

"Okay. You're missing the point here. The _important_ thing is, do you like them?"

"I _love_ them." She picked up the mate. While Tony paid her handsomely for being his Personal Assistant, Pepper had never been able to justify spending that amount of money on something as frivolous as a pair of shoes. "Do you have any idea how much these cost?"

"Kinda...since I bought 'em."

"It's too much."

"Says who?" he rebutted. "I owe you those and about twelve more pair."

"You _do_ know my birthday is months away, right?"

"Yes. You're not the only one around here that owns a calendar."

Pepper took a minute to comprehend what happened. He'd been right. She _had_ been wanting them for the longest time. Now, they were hers. Tony spent $2,000 on a gift for her just because. She was overwhelmed and, to be perfectly honest, as giddy as a kid on Christmas morning. Acting from sheer impulse, Pepper spun around to face Tony and kissed him, not a friendly peck, but full on the lips. When it ended, they stood looking at each other, neither saying a word. The air was electric. Tension was palpable. She balled up her fists in an effort to physically make herself resist the urge to do it again. In that moment, Pepper realized exactly how easy it would be to surrender to her baser instincts, kiss until they were both breathless, and find out how sturdy the couch on the other side of the room really was. It would be so easy to forget _everything_ for a little while...too easy. The full force of what they just did washed over her. She kissed Tony. Pepper could feel herself start to redden and willed it not to happen. She bit her lip and looked down, mentally composing her letter of resignation. Tony was most likely preparing one of his patented barbs and she was certain wanted to go straight through the floor when he did. The silence was growing, but Pepper had no idea what to say.

Finally, Tony spoke. "You, uh, said you needed me to do something?"

Relief cooled her burning cheeks. "Sign some papers." Pepper glanced around for the documents she brought downstairs with her.

"These them?" he asked, picking up the papers from the table top.

"Yes." The more time that passed, the more she was able to gather herself. "I have fax these to D.C. before five."

"Our time or theirs?"

"They didn't say, but I will say theirs just to be safe."

"Now what's the fun in that?" Tony said, plucking the pen from where she'd stuck it in her bun. He scribbled his name where Pepper had marked for him. He gave her a grin as he finished the last one. "Don't you want to live dangerously?" He placed the pen behind her ear. "Take a walk on the wild side?" He wasn't only talking about the paperwork.

"Maybe someday," she replied coyly, letting him know, neither was she. Pepper double-checked the pages and turned to go. She was almost to the door when she heard him call her name.

"Pepper?"

"What?"

"Don't forget your shoes."

She looked to see Tony standing with the shoebox in his hand. "Thanks." Pepper took her gift and placed it under her arm before heading out again. Once she was safely out of sight, Pepper leaned against the wall. She looked at the box. What Tony didn't know was, she wouldn't be able to forget those shoes...or what happened afterward...for a long, _long_ time.

 **Author's note: My second attempt at pre-relationship Pepperony. I was pleased with how it turned out. Thanks so much to nancyozz for the idea. It made much more sense your way than mine. As always, I would love to know what you think. Reviews are always greatly appreciated. I like to know how this little experiment is going. Let me know if there is one you would like to read next and I will see what I can do. Happy reading and PEPPERONY FOREVER!**


	9. No 25 - We Can Never Be Together Kiss

#25 - "We can never be together" Kiss

Tony walked down the hallway of Stark Industries whistling as he went. He greeted everyone he passed. For the first time in a long time...maybe the first time _ever_...he was happy. He paused in front of the metal elevator doors, fixing his hair and straightening his tie. The tie had been a gift from Pepper on their latest trip to Paris. The very thought of Paris made him smile. They had just returned the day before from a romantic week in France where, after years of unresolved sexual tension, he and Pepper finally consummated their relationship. After all these years, he finally had a real relationship. Tony was still smiling when the elevator dinged. He held the doors open for the workmen carrying an armload of boxes, knowing the sooner they were out of his way, the sooner he could get to Pepper. Above his objections, she insisted on staying at her apartment the night before. After their week together, he was already used to waking up next to her and he'd missed Pepper more than he would ever admit.

Three more workmen were waiting when the car reached the floor that housed the executive offices. They were carrying lamps, various office equipment, and a rolled up area rug like the one Pepper had in her CEO's office. That made him pause, but, then again, Tony had never paid much attention to the other offices on the floor. Maybe they were all decorated the same. Further down the hall, he passed two men carrying a couch. It, too, was like Pepper's. Tony went from puzzled to concerned when he saw the next man carrying a box with a silver Ferris Wheel desk perpetual motion machine sticking out the top. He quickened his steps, not pausing for anything until he was standing at Pepper's door.

The office door was opened and he could hear her talking. When he entered the room, Tony saw Pepper was on the phone...standing in the middle of a near-empty office. All of the furniture was gone. The art had been taken down, leaving only empty nails in the wall. There was a folding chair and a filing cabinet for the desk phone to sit on, but, everything else had been cleared out. "What's going on?" he asked the moment she ended her call.

Pepper took a deep breath before turning around. "Tony, we need to talk."

Every scrap of happiness he'd felt all morning rushed out of him at once. "We need to talk" never meant anything good. In his experience, it _always_ prefaced something catastrophic. He cleared his throat. "I'm not sure I want to hear what you have to say."

"I don't want to say it but it _has_ to be said." She looked at the phone in her hand before looking at him in the face. "It's not going to work."

"What's not going to work?" He swallowed the panic rising, but there was a trace of confusion on his face.

"This," she said with a wave of her hand.

He looked around the room. "Has someone offered you another job? If they have, I will match whatever they offered you and then some."

"No. I'm staying with the company, but, I'm leaving."

Tony was completely lost. "You just said..."

"I said I'm not leaving the company."

"Okay. Back up. You're not leaving the company?"

"No."

"But, you're leaving?"

"Yes."

"And you're going to..."

"New York."

"Okay. I have been thinking about going back, especially since all the plans for the new Tower are in the works and..."

"You're not going."

"What?"

" _I_ am going to New York, to run S.I. _You_ are going to stay here, in California."

"What about...us?"

"That's what I meant when I said it's not going to work."

"That's why you wanted to be alone last night isn't it?"

"Yes. No. A little of both, I guess."

"Is it because you don't love me?"

"No. I _do_ love you. I will always love you."

"Is there someone else?"

"No."

"Then why?"

"Because."

"Oh, 'because.' Why didn't you say so?" Tony scoffed. "'Because' is _always_ a valid reason."

"Tony, don't." Pepper did nothing to hide her annoyance.

"Don't what? Don't question why you think you can just up and walk away without saying anything to me? Don't try to find out an explanation why the best thing that ever happened to me is moving clear across the country? Don't try to talk you out of it? Don't act like this is the worst news I've ever heard, because, let me tell you...it is."

"Don't make this harder than it has to be," she said sharply.

Tony looked for a hint of anything familiar. He didn't know the woman that was speaking to him. "So...I'm just supposed to pretend last week didn't happen like you did?"

"I could _never_ forget last week. That's...that's one of the reasons I have to leave _now_."

"It's that easy, huh? Walking away?"

"Who said it was easy?" Tears welled in her eyes. "I didn't, because walking away is the hardest thing I've ever done."

"Then why?"

"Because, I have to." Pepper took both of his hands. "You have changed so much and I am _very_ proud of the man you've become. The world needs this man. It needs _you_ , Tony and you would never think about that first as long as I'm here."

He couldn't understand the sudden change in her mood. He didn't understand anything about this _entire conversation_."But...I love you."

"I love you, too, more than you will ever know."

"And, because you love me so much, you never want to see me again?"

"We can see each other. We _will_ see each other. I will be coming back here to check on things. You will need to make trips to New York. We can spend time together then. Eventually, we can even take the occasional getaway trip."

"Basically, you're saying you just want me for sex?" _Nothing_ was making sense.

"What if I am? We _are_ both adults."

"So, we can be together, but never be _together_?" Tony stared at her in disbelief. Now, the cold and unfeeling Pepper was back? He was in shock, almost to the point of not knowing what to say. He didn't know this woman standing across from him. "What happened to you, Pepper?"

She ran her hands through his hair. "How I feel about you will _never_ change and we will _always_ be connected. Nothing or no one will _ever_ change that." She put her hands on his cheeks and pulled him in for a kiss. It was bittersweet, full of more emotions than they could name, tender and passionate at the same time. When it ended, he brushed away the tear that appeared on her face. "Goodbye, Tony."

He watched her walk away. He should have called her name. He should have chased after her. He should have hauled her back and given her all the reasons she _couldn't_ leave him. Tony did none of these, though. His tongue remained mute. His feet, rooted where he stood. He could do nothing but stare at the door long after Pepper had walked through it.

* * *

Pepper stretched her tired back and rubbed her eyes. She'd been answering E-mail for what seemed like an eternity and, frankly, she was tired of looking at her computer screen. This was after all of the other things she'd done that day. She needed sleep. Closing her laptop, she propelled herself off the couch, headed for her bedroom. Pepper was almost there when a pounding on her door made her jump.

"Pepper, open up," a very familiar voice said loudly before another round of knocking. "Please. I...I need to come in."

"Dear God," she said under her breath. "Tony." The knocking persisted As quickly as she could, she crossed the room and began working the lock and latch. She flung open the door and glared at the panicky Tony standing on the other side. "Stop before you wake the entire building!"

"Virginia, is everything alright?"

Pepper looked up and saw her neighbor across the hall looking out her door at the commotion. Her anger was replaced momentarily by embarrassment. "Yes, Mrs. Peterson," she said with pink cheeks. "Everything is fine. I'm sorry for the disturbance."

"Are you sure?" She eyed Tony with suspicion.

"I'm sure. It won't happen again." When the older woman retreated back into her apartment, Pepper took Tony by the arm. "Get in here," she growled, dragging him into the room. She closed the door and turned all her attention to her visitor. She folded her arms across her chest. "I cannot _believe_ you."

"Thank God you're here," Tony stated with a relieved smile. He was oblivious to the frustration she radiated.

"It's two a.m. Where _else_ would I be?"

He was preparing to answer when his eyes fell on the packed bag sitting with her briefcase. His blood ran cold. For a long minute, he couldn't speak, only stare. "That...that bag. You didn't have that on the trip last week."

"No, I didn't"

Tony licked his dry lips. "Wh-when did you pack it?"

"Tonight. Tony, I don't understand..."

Without waiting for her to say anything else, Tony grabbed the bag. "I'm _not_ gonna let you do this," he declared.

"Do _what_?" Pepper asked, completely puzzled by his actions. "Give me that, please."

"No!" he said defiantly. "You're _not_ doing this! Not until we talk about it first."

"What is there to talk about?"

" _Plenty_."

"Okay, we can talk if you want. I didn't know it was such a big deal. I thought you would be okay with..."

"Why in God's name would I be okay with letting you leave?"

"Who said I was leaving?"

"You did?"

"Where am I going?"

"New York."

"Why am I going to New York?"

"Because...all you want me for is sex."

"Says who?" She was beginning to lose her patience with him.

"You!" he said emphatically. Tony clutched the bag closer. "I'm not letting you go. Not without a fight."

"You're not making any sense." Pepper saw the look on his face. She saw the sweat forming on his brow and the slight tremor in his hands. For a minute, she let her mind go to the one place she knew she _did not_ want to go. The last time she remembered him being so irrational was after a party in Dubai when he'd mixed together alcohol and some pills given to him by a fellow reveler. She watched as he paced a few feet. "Tony," she said, taking his arm to still him, "did you take anything?" She hoped she sounded calmer than she felt. "Have you been..."

"No. I promise. Not even a baby aspirin and no nightcap either," he assured her. Pepper ushered Tony to the sofa and sat beside him. "I was at home," he began without prompting. "I guess the jet lag caught up with me or something. I...had this dream, a nightmare actually."

"Where I left?"

"Yeah." His answer was so quiet she barely heard him.

"Tell me," Pepper said. She saw the uncertainty. "If it has you _this_ out of sorts, I want to know. I _need_ to know. Tell me everything."

Tony repeated every excruciating detail, subconsciously tightening his grip on the overnight bag as he went. "I was so out of it when I woke up, I had to come here and be sure it _was_ a dream. Then, when I got here I saw you had packed and...I wasn't so sure any more."

"Tony, look at me." She waited until she had his undivided attention. "If I were only interested in sex with you, I can think of about a dozen times over the past decade I could have scratched that particular itch and just walked away. Why would I wait until we are both at the place we've been trying to get to only to leave?"

"So, no regrets?"

"Nope and nothing I would change either. It makes what we managed to find _now_ all the better."

"Why did you want to stay apart tonight?" There was still a trace of concern in his voice.

"Because there were some things I needed to do."

"You couldn't do them from the house?"

"Not unless you know how to telepathically clean out my refrigerator," Pepper retorted.

"Why would you do that?"

"We were gone for over a week, Tony. Things spoil. It can get really nasty if you don't throw them out."

"I've been on a million trips and I've never had to do that," he said with a disbelieving smirk.

"That would be because _I_ have always done it."

"Oh." He paused for just moment. "What else?"

"There was mail to pick up," she began, ticking the list off on her fingers. "I had to buy food to replace what I tossed out. There were about 700 E-mails to answer, not to mention half that many phone calls. I had to unpack, and..."

"If you were unpacking, then what's this?" Tony asked gesturing to the overnight bag he still held.

Pepper sighed. "It was _just a dream_ ," she reiterated. "However, if you _must_ know, I thought that, since I would be spending the night with you at the mansion now on a fairly regular basis, I needed to leave a few things there."

"You've had clothes in the spare bedroom for years," he countered.

"Those were just a few extra skirts and blouses," Pepper said, blushing slightly. "These are more, um, _personal_ items."

A sly smile crept across Tony's face as he realized what she meant. "You mean, I have been sitting here this _entire_ time holding your underwear?"

"Not just that. There are...other things."

"Uh-huh." Tony sat the bag in his lap and grasped the zipper.

"Give me that," Pepper said, reaching for her luggage. Tony tried to move it out of reach, but Pepper was too quick. She lunged, knocking him over onto the couch, landing on top of him and pinning the bag between them. They continued their little tug-of-war until they both began laughing. They lay there for a minute while the giggling subsided. He brushed the hair out of her face that had fallen there during their tussle. Pepper leaned in and kissed him.

"Guess this means you think we _can_ be together?" he said when the kiss ended.

"For a long, long time," she answered. Pepper sat up quickly. "Just not tonight." She took his hand and pulled him upright.

"Aww, Pep."

"We have that 8 a.m. conference call with London, in case you've forgotten and I need my beauty sleep."

"You're beautiful already," he flirted.

"Nice try, but, seriously, I'm tired. We both know if you stay, we will neither one get any rest."

He scooted closer and dropped his voice to a more intimate tone. "You say that like it was a bad thing."

"Normally, it's a very good thing, but, not tonight."

"Fine," he conceded. "But, I'm taking your underwear with me."

"Go ahead. I won't need it tonight anyway."

"You're killing me, Potts," he growled. Pepper kissed him again before standing and then offering him a hand up. Tony rose reluctantly and followed her to the door. He decided on one last-ditch effort. "You might as well let me stay. People already know I'm here."

"They know some yelling lunatic was here, not my otherwise sedate, loving boyfriend." Tony stood frozen in the doorway and stared. "What?"

"That's the first time I've heard you call me your boyfriend."

Pepper smiled and gave him a final kiss. "Good night, Boyfriend. I will see you at the office."

"Good night," he said. Pepper closed the door and he stayed in place until he heard her turn the locks. Tony looked at the door and then to the bag he carried. It _was_ just a dream. He would be alright. No matter what scary images his mind may conjure up, it couldn't change the truth. Behind that door, Pepper was preparing not to leave, but to stay. She wasn't just staying with the company or in California, but with him. He smiled and turned to walk down the hallway. They were taking the first steps into their new life together and _that_ was the stuff that dreams were made of.

 **Author's Note: Sorry this update took so long. However, it looks like my Pepperony muse has returned. :D The dream in the first part was a challenge, but, I realized it was okay, because dreams don't always have to make *perfect* sense. My eternal gratitude to lilnomdeplume for invaluable assistance. I may not be the best angst writer in the world, but I can at least say I tried. :D Thanks to my BFF for keeping on me, saying things like "Do you know how long it's been since you posted anything?" and "When are you going to finish that new chapter?" Thanks for not letting me give up. Please let me know how you like it. I must admit, it turned out better than I thought. Feedback is greatly appreciated. Reviews are awesome. Hopefully, I will get back on track with this fanfic and get more chapter done sooner than later. Happy reading. PEPPERONY FOREVER!**


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